Windber postal carriers to haul more than mail

May 08, 2003|By JENNIFER THOMAS, Daily American Staff Writer

WINDBER - Instead of leaving your mailbox flag up this Saturday for the mailman, leave a can of green beans or maybe a box of pasta in support of the National Association of Letter Carriers Annual Food Drive.

"It's the biggest one day food drive in the nation. While I'm picking up food in Pennsylvania there's a guy in Montana and one in Hawaii picking up food," said Don Podrasky, a Windber letter carrier and food drive coordinator for the Windber Post Office.

To get the word out, specially designed postcards drawn by "The Family Circus" cartoonist Bill Keane have been distributed to inform residents. Campbell's Soup helped pay for the cards and donates to the drive.

All food collected stays local going to the Windber Food Pantry.

"It's like helping the people we serve. We see these people every day. Sometimes you see stuff you don't like to see… It's nice to know we can help.

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"You don't know until you've been there what's its like."

Canned food and anything non-perishable will be accepted. Glass jars cannot be accepted because of safety concerns.

George Penrod, vice president of the Windber Food Pantry, said drives such as the letter carriers' are very important.

"We'll get enough food to last us about a month and a half," he said.

Last year's drive supported about 65 families. Penrod said it wouldn't be possible without the people of Windber.

"Really the people of Windber amaze me the way that they support that pantry," he said. "It really is amazing."

From the Boy Scouts in the fall to the school and churches and the letter carriers in the spring, donations of all types come in year round.

"We get a variety. It's anything that people want to donate. It's quite a different variety that comes in, so we're able to send a variety out," said Penrod.

Roughly 20 people will be out collecting food for the Windber Union Local 451 .

"This will be our fifth year. I know as far as the associated offices we have the longest consecutive streak," said Podrasky. "This is done by the union to help the people in the area that the carriers serve."

Saturday will be a normal mail delivery day, so the food drive takes special coordination.

Podrasky said while the letter carriers are on their routes, food will be collected, mostly by volunteers canvassing the area.

"That's why the volunteers come in so important. If they didn't you'd have these poor mailmen trying to take care of the food by themselves plus deliver their mail."

Windber's Post Office has been involved since 1999 when it collected 4,200 pounds of food.

That amount collected reached record levels when the rural carriers joined forces with the letter carriers in 2001. A total of 7,181 pounds was collected in just hours.

"It was amazing how much they pulled in," he said.

Podrasky said the help of the rural carriers makes a big difference. In Windber, roughly 3,500 homes are on the city route. The three rural routes add an additional 1,500 potential sources.

"It's a lot of work especially for rural route guys… All the RD route guys are from Windber They're helping out their hometown people. You can't say anything bad about it."

Podrasky hopes this year will see record amounts of food collected.

"This is something almost in a way it's more fulfilling than just delivering the mail… At least I know when we pick up this food someone is going to use it and happy to get it."